TY - JOUR

T1 - The impact of national and international debate in the European Union on the moratorium on the release of GMO into the environment

T2 - The debate in Germany - Germany and the moratorium

AU - Simon, Jürgen

N1 - ISBN: 2747212416;978-274721241-0

PY - 2006/9

Y1 - 2006/9

N2 - The debate in Germany on the moratorium is affected by the far reaching change of the stakeholder government which was inclined in favour of gene technology until the late 1990s. This attitude changed due to the BSE crisis, the weakness of the commission and mainly due to the new minister Künast in the Ministry of Agriculture being one of the most determined opponents of gene technology. The new politics of the agricultural turnaround, of the free choice for consumers and of the coexistence of green gene technology involving traditional and biological cultivation did not only lead to a restructuring of the ministry itself and the agencies involved. Further, critics of gene technology within the agricultural associations as well as consumers and NGOs were substantially strengthened. These were already active in the 90s, like Greenpeace, but could articulate themselves much more clearly during this time of political change. As a result, the public and associations did not only become aware of the change of politics but also changed their awareness, unless they were already critically inclined. Against this background, activities by Greenpeace and others could be very effective. Only now after the takeover of the Ministry for Consumers by the CSU one may expect that a more conservative politics will become effective. It is still unclear what that might mean for the green gene technology, because facts have been created with regard to a more critical public which cannot be taken back just so easily.

AB - The debate in Germany on the moratorium is affected by the far reaching change of the stakeholder government which was inclined in favour of gene technology until the late 1990s. This attitude changed due to the BSE crisis, the weakness of the commission and mainly due to the new minister Künast in the Ministry of Agriculture being one of the most determined opponents of gene technology. The new politics of the agricultural turnaround, of the free choice for consumers and of the coexistence of green gene technology involving traditional and biological cultivation did not only lead to a restructuring of the ministry itself and the agencies involved. Further, critics of gene technology within the agricultural associations as well as consumers and NGOs were substantially strengthened. These were already active in the 90s, like Greenpeace, but could articulate themselves much more clearly during this time of political change. As a result, the public and associations did not only become aware of the change of politics but also changed their awareness, unless they were already critically inclined. Against this background, activities by Greenpeace and others could be very effective. Only now after the takeover of the Ministry for Consumers by the CSU one may expect that a more conservative politics will become effective. It is still unclear what that might mean for the green gene technology, because facts have been created with regard to a more critical public which cannot be taken back just so easily.

KW - European Union

KW - Genetically modified organisms

KW - Germany

KW - Moratorium

KW - Law

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34247630156&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3917/jib.173.0095

DO - 10.3917/jib.173.0095

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 17939285

AN - SCOPUS:34247630156

VL - 17

SP - 95

EP - 105

JO - Journal International de Bioethique

JF - Journal International de Bioethique

SN - 1287-7352

IS - 3

ER -